Down Darkness Wide: U.S. Marshals And The Last Frontier

by James H. Chenoweth

Hunting land, gold or adventure, young America trailed eagerly westward after the Civil War. Swarming in their wake were gamblers, thieves, swindlers, gunmen, bandits, and claim-jumpers. Confronting them in the violent cow-towns and mining camps were the United States marshals, the frontier lawmen "who wore the tin star." As territories became states, the frontier marshals moved off stage. Most of us think they finally disappeared when Arizona became a state in 1912. Not true! For another forty-seven years, the frontier marshals enforced the law in territorial Alaska. During that period, they left the Wyatt Earp image far behind. They outgrew the popular myths and fables. They became professional peace officers, equally adept at hunting murderers in the bush, catching drug smugglers, transporting the insane, or testifying as ballistic or fingerprint experts. The frontier marshals in Alaska were the last of their breed-and they were the best! This is their book.

198 pages, Paperback

First published November 23, 2004